North Branch Works describes itself as "a membership-supported nonprofit neighborhood organization that for more than three decades has promoted balanced, job-creating economic development along the North Branch of the Chicago River."Â NBW is a major player in discussions of sustainable transportation, transit-friendly development, and safe streets in the area it covers, which includes the North River, Addison, and Kennedy industrial corridors on the Near North Side.
The group invited Streetsblog Chicago to its End-of-Summer Boat Tour on a Chicago Water Taxi craft run by Wendella Boats. As I've written before, water taxis are perhaps the most serene way to make the "last mile" trip from Metra trains to downtown jobs. So I'm glad this mode is surviving in the post-COVID-19 era, when fewer people work full-time in offices.
The North Branch Works boat trip left after work from the Wendella boat dock on Goose Island,1535 N. Cherry Ave., next to the Cherry Street bike-pedestrian bridge, just south of North Avenue. There was no formal presentation during the voyage, but the two-hour trip was a great opportunity to snap some photos of local walk/bike/transit infrastructure. Here's a gallery of what I saw on our journey, with a bit of discussion, including links to relevant Streetsblog articles, in the captions. All photos are by yours truly.
After turning around again just west of Wells, the boat headed up the North Branch again.
Just south of Belmont Avenue (3200 N.), the boat turned around and headed southeast again.
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In addition to editing Streetsblog Chicago, John writes about transportation and other topics for additional local publications. A Chicagoan since 1989, he enjoys exploring the city on foot, bike, bus, and 'L' train.
After a well-attended rock concert at this intersection last month, the possibilities are endless. OK not really, but the new infrastructure will help slow down drivers.